Apparatus for molding link chains.



'5. w. CLARKE.

APPARAmsIroB MoLmNG LINK CHAINS. n APPLICATlON FILED MAY 5.1916. l,228,53& Patented June 5,v 191?.

means for being disposed in planes als i at APPARATUS FOR MOLDYING- LINK CHAINS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

patented aan@ 5, iai t.

Application filed May 6, 1916. Serial No. 95,881.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known. that I, EDWARD W. CLARKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wilmington, in the county of New Castle and State of Delaware, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for MoldingLink Chains, of which the fol# lowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for molding link chains and has 'for its primary object to provide `means whereby anchor chains and the like, which are required to sustain severe strains, may be cast and molded with one-piece, jointless links.

It is a more particular object of the invention to provide a sand mold flask constructed in quarter sections, and improved assembling the flask sections so that the corresponding link impressions in the mold sand are disposed in mating relation to form the complete links of the chain upon thecasting of the metal.

It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus for the molding of jointless chain links, embodying a stripping plate, means for arranging patterns of sectional parts of a series of connected links upon the stripping plate, anda mold flask adapted to be arranged upon the stripping plate to receiveY the mold'sand, said patterns alternately at right angles to each other and each mounted upon an individual stool plate whereby they may be removed from the stripping plate without breaking' up the mold sand.

It is a further generalobject of the invention to provide a very simple apparatus for the molding of chainlinks whereby 4the same may be inexpensively producedand the highest possible strength obtained in the formation of the links. l

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrange` ment of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which, l

Figure l is an elevation of thestripping plate with the link patterns arranged thereon;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view showing the flask arranged upon. the stripping plate to receive the mold sand;

Fig. 3 is a transverse line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

section taken on the the base wall 5 Fig. et is a face view of the flask and the mold removed from thejstripping plate;

Fig. lis a side elevation showing the sections of the mold flask assembled; and Fig. 6 is any end elevation thereof. Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 designates the base of the stripping plate and6 the vertical wall thereof risingy from one longitudinal edge of the base wall 5; The walls 5 and 6 of the strippingl plate are provided with slots therein defining yone-half of a seriesof connected links, as indicated at 7 andl 8 respectively. Itwill be observed that I have shown in the accompanying drawing, a link of the common stud type, wherein the same is providediwith a central transverse connecting bar or stud. Links of this form are generally used in anchor chains or in the construction of other chains which are designed to sustain severe strains. 9 designates the stool plates, each of which has one-half of a chain link 10 formed upon one face thereo These link patterns are of suiiicient width to extend through the slots 7 and 8 'cut in the walls of thestripping plate and to project from the opposed faces of said angularly disposed walls for a ldistance equivalent to one-half ofthe cross-sectional diameter of the link to be formed. As seen in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the patterns are inserted through the walls of the stripping plate at the bottom and rear facesthereof respectively, the stool plates 9 limiting the movement of the patterns through the openings in the plate and lying closely against the faces of the stripping plate. Ineach end of of the stripping plate, a vertical opening 11 is formed, and a similar opening 12 is also provided 4in each end of the vertical wall 6 of the stripping plate.

The mold iask is constructed in four sections. As each section ofthe flask is identical in construction with every other section thereof, the detail description of one will suffice for. all. Each fiask section includes a longitudinally extending body wall 13 having end walls 14 at its extremities projecting at right angles to the body wall and in the same direction therefrom. Between the end walls 14, a plurality of equidistantly spaced webs or partitions 15 are formed upon the body wall 13. The lower edges of these partition or division walls are obliquely inclined upwardly from the lower edge of the body wall 13 to a point in spaced relation-to the plane of the upper edge of the mold defining corresponding said wall, as indicated at 15. The free vertical edges 16 of these partitions are disposed out of alinement of the vertical edges of the end walls 14 longitudinally of the mold section or, in other words, said partitions have a maximum width above the inclined edges 15 thereof which is appreciably less than the width of the end walls 14 of the flask section. Laterally projecting, apertured ears 17 are formed upon each en wall 14 at its lower edge, and a similar apertured ear 18 is also formed upon the vertical edge of each end wall.

After the patterns 10 have been arranged in the walls of the stripping plate in the manner above stated, a flask section is arranged upon the base 5 of the plate with the edges of its end walls 14 in contact against the face of the vertical wall 6. Pins indicated at 19 are inserted through the ears 17 and 18 and the coinciding openings 11 and 12 respectively, in the walls of the stripping plate, whereby the flask section is held in position. The mold sand is now tightly packed into the flask around and upon the pattern link sections 10 and between the division or partition walls 15. A suitable handle 20 is fixed to each of the end walls 14 of the flask section whereby it may be readily removed from the stripping plate after the sand has been properly rammed in the flask and the patterns withdrawn through the stripping plate. 1t will be understood that, prior to the removalfof the flask section from the stripping plate, the stool plates 9 carrying the patterns 10 mounted in the vertical wall 6 of the strippingv plate, are withdrawn or removed by moving the stool plates away from the face of said wall outwardly in a direct horizontal line. The fiask and mold may then be readily lifted from the base wall 5 of the stripping plate. The patterns 10, of course, produce the metal receiving channels in the adjacent angularly disposed walls of the mold which conform 1n every particular tothe shape or configuration of the link pattern sections. The sand is also rammed or packed tightly in the spaces between the vertical edges 16 of the division or partition walls 15 and the face of the vertical wall 6 of the stripping plate so that when the flask sections are assembled, the metal division walls 15 will not contact at their free edges which would prevent the proper assemblage of the fiask sections particularly if the same are slightly warped.

After each section of the mold has been formed in the manner above stated, the flask and mold sections are assembled in the manner shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawing, the metal receivingr grooves or channels in link sections being arranged in opposed mating re- V lation. When these quarter sections of the mold are assembled, the apertured ears 17 and 18 of the adjacent sections are disposed upon each other and receive the fastening pins indicated at 21. Pouring openings are formed by cutting grooves or channels 22 in the face of one pair of sand molds communicating with the alternate links which are disposed in a vertical plane at the upper sides thereof.

The lower pair of sand molds are first assembled and locked together by means of the pins 21, and then metal links which have been previously ast are horizontally disposed in the channels formed in the upper faces of said mold sections. The two upper mold sections are then arranged in place, said cast links being received in the channels in the lower faces of the latter molds while the metal receiving channels for the vertically disposed links coinciding with the corresponding channels in the lower pair of mold sections, complete the mold to receive the molten metal. The metal is then poured through the openings provided by the grooves or channels 22 in the mold sections to lill the vertically disposed mating channels defining the vertical links, and thus produce a continuous metal link body without seam or joint connected to the adjacent horizontally disposed cast links. 1t is apparent, of course, that the molds may be made of any desired length so that 'a greater or less number of links may be cast in each operation.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction, manner of operation and several advantages of my improved casting apparatus for the manufacture of link chains will be fully and clearly understood. By first forming the molds in a number of sections, the same may assembled and the patterns can be easily removed after the packing or tamping of the mold, without liability of breaking up the sand, so that a perfect product will result. As above stated, the prime essential in the manufacture of anchor chains or other chains which must sustain excessive strains, is that the links must have a maximum of tensile strength, and it is, therefore, desirable that all joints or seams in the links should be eliminated. By means of my improvedapparatus, this purpose is tained. It is manifest, of course, that if desired, the present invention may also be employed for the casting of the ordinary type of chain link without the central stud.

While 1 have shown and described the preferred construction and arrangement of the several features of my invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of considerable modification therein and 1, therefore, reserve the privilege of adopting all such legitimate changes as may be fairly be easily and quickly y fully atembodied Within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is 1. An apparatus for forming link chain molds in quarter sections including a stripping plate having Walls extending at 'right angles to each other, each of said Walls being provided with means to removably receive a plurality of link patterns, a flask section having a body Wall adapted to be arranged on edge on one Wall of the stripping plate and in spaced, parallel relation to the other Wall thereof, said flask section having angular end Walls contacting latter Wall of the stripping plate, and means for detachably securing said end Walls of tllle ask section to the Walls of the stripping ate.

P 2. An apparatus for forming link chain molds in quarter sections including a stripping plate having Walls extending at right angles to each other, each of said Walls being provided With means to removably receive a plurality of link patterns, a iiask section having a body Wall adapted to be arranged on edge on one Wall of the stripping plate and in spaced, parallel relation to the other Wall thereof, said'iask section having angular end Walls contacting With the face of the latter Wall of the stripping plate, a plurality of angularly disposed Webs integrally formed with the body Wall of the flask sec- Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the with the face of they tion and disposed in parallel relation to said end Wall, each of the Webs having one of its molds in quartersections inclu ng a stripping plate having Walls extending at rightlangles to each other, each of said Walls being provided With means to removably receive a plurality of link patterns, a flask section having a body Wall adapted to be arranged on edge on one Wall of the stripping plate and in spaced, parallel relation to the other Wall thereof, said iiask section having angular end Walls contacting With the face ofthe latter Wall of the stripping plate, a plurality of spaced Webs integrally formed With the body Wall of the flask section and extending at right angles thereto, said webs being of less Width than the end Walls and having their end edges spaced from the face of the rst named Wall of the stripping plate, and means for detachably securing the end Walls of the ask section to the stripping plate.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflx my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

EDWARD W. CLARKE.

Witnesses ALBERTUS B. STAYTON, AUDREY G. STAYTON.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

